OnePlus 9 specs leak shows disappointing lack of upgrades from OnePlus 8 and 8T

OnePlus 8T
OnePlus 8T (Image credit: TechRadar)

While we've heard lots of OnePlus 9 leaks before, a new one covers loads of different specs of the upcoming OnePlus phone. However instead of getting us excited, this new leak suggests the phone won't get many upgrades over its predecessors.

This new OnePlus 9 leak comes from @TechDroider, who has shown themselves to be fairly reliable for smartphone news. The Twitter user has posted four screenshots, seemingly from a smartphone, that purportedly show the specs of the OnePlus 9.

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Most of the specs shown, which we'll investigate below, seem the same as the specs of the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8T from 2020. It's worth pointing out that this list doesn't detail every aspect of the OnePlus 9, so there might be some yet-to-be-revealed details that renew enthusiasm in the phone - or perhaps the handset's design or feature list will include some big changes.

But if this list is representative of the OnePlus 9 as a whole, we might have to save our interest for the OnePlus 9 Pro, which will hopefully bring big upgrades over the OnePlus 8 Pro.

OnePlus 9 specs

TechDroider's leaked spec list includes lots of information which isn't too useful to us, or is perhaps a bit too technical, so we've reduced it to the most important specs and listed them below, alongside the equivalents for the OnePlus 8 and 8T.

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OnePlus 9 spec comparison
SpecOnePlus 9 leakOnePlus 8 specOnePlus 8T spec
Screen size6.55 inches6.55 inches6.55 inches
Screen resolution1080 x 24001080 x 24001080 x 2400
Screen refresh rate120Hz90Hz120Hz
RAM8GB8GB / 12GB8GB / 12GB
Storage128GB128GB / 256GB128GB / 256GB
Rear camera resolution12MP* (48MP)48MP48MP
Front camera resolution4MP* (16MP)16MP16MP
Battery capacity4,500mAh4,300mAh4,500mAh

It seems the OnePlus 9 camera resolutions are lower than we'd expect, so the resolutions listed are likely after quad pixel binning, which combines four pixels together to create a super-pixel to take better pictures. As a result, we expect the actual resolution of the front and back cameras are four times higher, and we've listed the results in those boxes.

The rear camera resolution seemingly only lists the main camera, not any extra sensors or lenses.

Overall, though, it seems the OnePlus 9 has the same specs as the OnePlus 8T, and very similar ones to the OnePlus 8 - the difference between the 8 and the 8T was largely in the design department.

Hopefully when the OnePlus 9 phone is unveiled - likely sometime in March or April - we'll find out some more specs that differentiate the new phone from its predecessors in some larger way.

Tom Bedford
Contributor

Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.


He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist. He also currently works in film as a screenwriter, director and producer.